City officials said good weather sped up Berry Street and University Drive intersection construction to finish three weeks ahead of schedule.
The officials working on the project realized on Monday the concrete would be ready to drive on by next Monday, project manager Arty Wheaton-Rodriguez said.
Phase two of the project will begin next Wednesday as crews begin demolition of the north side of Berry Street, near the bookstore, he said.
Wheaton-Rodriguez said he planned to have the crew work on the median in the middle of October then start on the south side of Berry Street in mid-December. There will be no on-street parking during phase two.
Construction began on June 11 and was scheduled to last until August 6.
Residents are invited to visit the intersection on Friday at 9 a.m. as people who worked closely with the project will explain what changes were made, Wheaton-Rodriguez, senior planner for the Fort Worth Planning and Development Department, said.
In May, city officials met with more than 60 people who wanted to know how they would be affected by the new plan, compared to the original 10-month timetable for construction.
Citizens and city officials were initially wary of the expedited plan but after officials explained the process and answered questions the crowd applauded for the expedited plan.
The final look will replicate the work done between Waits Avenue to Forest Park Boulevard for the Berry Street initiative, Arty Wheaton-Rodriguez said.
This will include narrowing of the streets, on-street parking, widened sidewalks, enhanced crosswalks and medians, roadway and pedestrian lighting, street furniture, street trees and landscaping, Chuck McLure, a senior engineering technician with the department of transportation and public works with the City of Fort Worth, said.
“They’re trying to make it an urban living and business environment,” McLure said.
The intersection opening will finish off the first phase in a four-phase project that is scheduled to end by April 2013, Wheaton-Rodriguez said.
This project was funded by money administered to the city by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, McLure said.
Councilman Joel Burns tweeted the news Tuesday afternoon.
Good news: the @CityofFortWorth intersection of Berry St. & University Dr.will re-open Mon — 3 wks ahead of schedule.
— Joel Burns personal (@JoelBurns) July 10, 2012
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